June 23, 2008

Middle East News: World Press Roundup

An ATFP translation of an article in Al-Ayyam Daily looks at the prospects of the Berlin Conference, scheduled to begin tomorrow (1). Newsweek’s Lally Weymouth sits down with Jordanian King Abdullah (2). Skepticism regarding the Hamas- Israel ceasefire continues (4) (6) (12) (13) even as the deal is gradually implemented (3). In a recent speech to the Israeli Knesset French President Nicolas Sarkozy offered his help in brokering Middle East peace (8).

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More Goods Entering Gaza Under Israel-hamas Truce

Israel allowed dozens of trucks to deliver food, diapers and clothes to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, boosting the flow of basic goods as part of a four-day-old truce with Hamas militants.

Further increases are expected if the quiet continues, offering the prospect of relief for Gazans after a year of Israeli sanctions against the Hamas regime.

The six-month deal is meant to end attacks that have killed more than 400 Palestinians and seven Israelis since the Islamic Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip a year ago, and pave the way toward wider-reaching agreements.

Gloomy Mood Envelops Israel Despite Gaza Truce

After a year of painful violence - Hamas rockets flying into Israeli communities, soldiers killed and wounded on forays into Gaza - one might have expected the start of a six-month cease-fire with Hamas to be hailed here as good news. Yet what was the front page headline in the Maariv newspaper that day? "Fury and Fear."

Answering Attacks With Smiles And Smileys

East of Beit Sahour in Ush Ghrab, the tree line stops and the bronze, rocky desert begins. In a flat clearing on this hilltop, a small, abandoned military post is being slowly transformed from an assorted collection of cement-grey barracks into a virtual oasis for the region's children, families and tourists.

A former watchtower now has bright flowers painted on the roof; what was once a stark administrative office is now painted blue and pink, with a sign above the entrance reading 'The Nest Café' in red block letters.

Frustration In Gaza Despite Slight Easing Of Blockade

Dozens of Palestinian lorry drivers waited to load their goods in the scorching sun as Israel started to ease its blockade of the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

The decision to increase the amount of humanitarian goods allowed into the besieged territory came after an Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement held for a fourth day.

More than 50 empty trucks lined the road on the Gaza side of the Sufa crossing as Israeli hauliers unloaded goods on the other side. Many of the drivers said they had been waiting for more than 24 hours.

Israeli Army Abuses Palestinian Prisoners: Group

An Israeli anti-torture watchdog said in a report on Sunday Israeli soldiers routinely abuse bound Palestinian detainees and it accused the military of "absolute indifference" towards such mistreatment.

The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) said its findings were based on 90 detailed accounts from Palestinians as well as from soldiers who witnessed the abuse and were concerned over the army's failure to stop it.

France's Sarkozy Offers In Israel To Broker Peace

French President Nicolas Sarkozy put himself forward on Monday as a possible Middle East peace broker, offering in a speech to Israel's parliament to help reach agreement and mobilize French troops if necessary.

"I ask you to trust us because we want to help you," said Sarkozy, the first French president to address the Knesset since Francois Mitterrand in 1982.

Exile, Exclusion, And Isolation – The Palestinian Exile Experience

The horrors of World War II gave impetus to a quest for universal peace, justice and human dignity, with the United Nations at the fore.

It is a disturbing commentary on our quest that as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Palestinians mark six decades of what they refer to as the Nakbeh, or catastrophe, with many languishing in conditions of exile, exclusion and isolation.

The Calm: The Natural And The Pretentious

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be in Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesday to meet Egyptian President Husni Mubarak. There is nothing new in this and what matters is the outcome of the meeting; a new agreement for a calm between the Palestinians and Israel. This would not be the first calm between the two and it will not be the last. The tension at the border crossings has significantly calmed down and the ability of the Palestinians to cross has significantly improved with the easing of the siege.

Palestine: Lull Before The Storm?

A six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, or an "agreement on a lull" as it is phrased in Arabic, came into effect on June 19. But both sides seem pessimistic about the future. So if this agreement does not lead to peace, why is it needed?

"The lull" is even less than a truce, let alone talks leading to peace agreements. Few believe it will last for half a year.

The Strategic Context

From the standpoint of the Israeli security community as well as PM Ehud Olmert, the Gaza ceasefire that began last week is essentially a tactical move. By and large, they continue to assess that eventually there will be a major Israeli military offensive into the Gaza Strip, aimed at destroying or seriously weakening Hamas. Hence the ceasefire reflects primarily short-term calculations such as ways to free Gilad Shalit, Egyptian pressures, the outcry from the bombarded residents of the Gaza periphery region and Olmert's own political needs.

Poll: 77% Of Arabs Say Won't Replace Israel

Seventy-seven percent of the State of Israel's Arab citizens would rather live in the Jewish state than in any other country in the world, according to a new study titled "Coexistence in Israel ".

The survey was conducted by the John Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University with the assistance of researchers from Haifa University.
The study was aimed at examining the relations between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens on the State's 60th anniversary, and included 1,721 respondents.

Eu To Expand Police Mission In Palestinian Territories

The European Union announced Monday that it intends to expand its police mission for the Palestinian Territories, called EUPOL COPPS, in the area of the criminal justice system.
"Expanding the mission is a decision already taken and has been accepted by all the parties," EU Special Representative for the Middle East peace process, Marc Otte, told a press conference here today.
"We are now in the process of working on the administrative elements for the mission and recruiting people," he noted.

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